I am from the memories and forgetting, from the stories and silences
A free prompt for all subscribers
Hiya! How’s it going? Welcome to another Good Egg Prompt Newsletter!
Today’s newsletter title is borrowed from How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division by Elif Shafak. Before I even got near the final pages, this book felt like it should be essential reading for everyone. The full quote is:
The question ‘where are you from?’ has always mattered to me, and felt deeply personal, albeit equally complicated. For a long time it was the one question I dreaded being asked.
‘I am from multiple places,’ I wanted to be able to say in return. ‘I come from many cities and cultures, plural and diverse, but I am also from the ruins and remnants of these, from the memories and forgetting, from the stories and the silences.’ - Elif Shafak
I’m going to keep this as simple as I possibly can for our first prompt back after a jam-packed National Poetry Writing Month in April and a very necessary break in May.
I’ve made this prompt free for our whole community because I feel like we all need a moment to step into joy and rekindle some hope.
So, whatever intersection(s) of identity you find yourself at, please take this as an opportunity to lean into the things that bring you happiness and that make you feel seen and understood, no matter where you’re coming from literally and figuratively.
This week’s prompt for all subscribers
Today (or whenever you’re doing this), I ask you to explore joy.
Queer joy, Black joy, Working Class joy, Trans joy, Intersex joy, Indigenous joy, Gay joy, Lesbian joy, Bisexual joy, Fat joy, Recovery joy, Disabled joy, Parental joy, Child-free joy, Friend joy, the list is endless.
Whatever kind of joy there is in your life, I’d like you to write about it.
Step 1: Think about your joy
Take a moment (no more than 10 minutes) to think about a moment that brought you joy from one (or two, or three, or however many you want) of your communities.
This could be something as (seemingly) small as a friend making you a cup of tea and some toast, or as big as being embraced for being who you are by your chosen family.
Step 2: Sketch a moment
After you’ve thought about the moment, sketch it.
This could be with singular words, phrases, sentences, things people said to you, or quotes from books, films, music, poetry, etc, you heard or read at the time.
Step 3: Put it all together
Think about the genre you want to use to knit everything together.
You can write short stories, fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, song lyrics, comic strips, or whatever your heart desires.
Try to experiment with different forms of writing to bring people into the moment with you. Fragments, free-flowing poetry, deep and emotional prose, heartfelt dialogue, give it a go!
Thanks for reading!
It’s a new month. It’s time for Pride. Anything and everything is possible. It’s time to lean into Queer joy, while our community continues to fight for everyone that falls under the LGTBQIA+ umbrella.
Our Trans, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming community members need more than allyship, so if you can, go to queer events this month, but also remember to speak up, stand up, and stop tolerating hate in any form.
I’ll be back in your inboxes tomorrow with an absolutely stacked newsletter of community events and open calls for writers and writing. If you’re dying to get a writing event in the calendar, join me for the final Words & Friends of the summer at August_21 on Tuesday, June 10!
Until then, take care of each other!
Naomi
P.s. Share this newsletter with other writers in your life and help our community grow! We’re fast approaching 750 members, and I’m really looking forward to helping more writers grow their confidence and thrive in Edinburgh, Scotland, and further afield.